An Earthling Apology
by Sacred Dust
Summary: Her mouth said "milnip," but her eyes say "klorbag." What's a young shapeshifter to do? A prank goes wrong with interesting results. BBxStar, a dance, a slice of lime and you... Set right after Forces of Nature.


_A/N: If I owned Teen Titans I wouldn't be writing fan fiction for it. That's pretty obvious but I guess we have to say it, so there it is. I don't own the show. :)  
_

_This is a bizarre pairing, totally not canon, she's like half a foot taller than him and who knows how it would fit into the storyline. But that's the beauty of fan fiction, amirite? Don't be a skeepnorg—please review!_

**An Earthling Apology**

Teen

Titans

Like a storm bird without wings, a harbinger of liquid disaster, the water balloon flew.

If he closed his eyes he could still see it. The product of an ingenious prank sailing through the air, splattering her with a certain grace he never expected from old motor oil. It was unavoidable, just one of the many twists of fate his young life had already thrown at him. All he could control was how he handled it.

Saying "just remember to change that oil every 3,000 miles" was probably the wrong way.

Beast Boy sighed moodily and paced around the training room, too down to actually train. The trap wasn't even meant for her! He had explained that very clearly…well, in fragments. But did anyone ever listen to him? If getting some half-decent tofu around this place was a challenge, understanding from a fellow Titan was near impossible. Cyborg and Raven simply rubbed it in, and Robin was too distracted by that evening's mission to notice.

It wasn't just the guilt that kept him up tonight. As he shouted "noooooooo" and dove uselessly to stop the lever from going off, something else had leapt to the front of his mind. It was Starfire's eyes as she walked down the hallway.

They were green. As green as his skin, maybe more so. Two emerald orbs glowing with surprise and alien innocence. Just…really green.

After watching the oil splash all over her and hearing the (supposedly) dreadful name she called him in Tamaranian, talking down two elemental goofs and putting out a fire golem was almost a welcome distraction. And Star seemed to forgive his mistake in the end. She even reevaluated him a "milnip wusserloo" before flying off. An improvement, he hoped.

So why couldn't he sleep? The scrawny changeling continued to pace. _What do I do? Maybe I'll turn myself into a goldfish. Then I could forget all about this in thirty seconds. _He made a swimming motion with his hands as he walked. _But I need water to breathe in…and how do I get out of the bowl? Maybe if—_

"That is a strange form of exercise," said a voice.

Beast Boy's scream was too girlish for his liking. He whirled around to see those same green eyes, glowing from the shadows in the doorway. Starfire.

"Hey Star!" he forced out a nervous laugh that went unanswered. "It's not an exercise. I was just, um, thinking."

"I see." The Tamaranian stepped silently into the room. "You have come here to think at one unit after the A.M.?"

"Sure! Can't let anyone see, you know? It would spoil my reputation." Again, she didn't laugh. She just stood there, studying him with one short eyebrow raised in suspicion.

He swallowed hard. _Dang. Is she still mad after all? Maybe I should make like a mouse and scurry._

"Well," he said too loudly, "Yup. Guess I'll go get some shuteye…" He jumped again as she floated directly into his path. This wasn't like her. "Hey, what gives? Is this about the whole trap thing? I said I was sorry."

"Being doused with your oil of motors was very unpleasant. It smelled like an uncooked gazordnik beetle." Starfire took a step closer to him. "But I thank you for being sorry."

No, she wasn't angry. She was just…serious, and very firm. _Speaking of firm…whoa! Eyes on her face, beastie. _His mind drifted back to a few hours ago when he became a kitten and jumped into her arms. He'd gotten close enough to her then, he didn't need to stare now.

"Yeah, well. It was supposed to be for Cy, and…anyway, it'll never happen again. What else can I say?"

"There is one thing." Another step.

"And what's...ow." Beast Boy retreated and felt his back hit the wall. Gees, how did she get this close? They were barely a foot apart. He had to look up to meet her gaze, which made it even more unnerving. _Damn growth spurt, hurry up and happen already!_

Finally she smiled—a little one, but it was there. "We have a ritual of apology on my planet."

"Oh. Uh…really?"

"Yes. When we have wronged someone, we recite the Poem of Forgiveness—all two thousand verses."

Beast Boy gulped. He could barely remember that poem where roses were blue and violets were red, or however it went. Maybe he could scrape by with a limerick. _Starfire's eyes are real green…she's the hottest thing I've ever seen. Damn, that's no good._

"But of course, you would not know of that custom." She said wistfully.

He knew nothing about girls, but it was obvious enough that she expected something from him. He wished he could tear his eyes from her long enough to think of it. In this dark, stuffy room she was like a vision from a dream. Not just pretty but truly beautiful, alien or not. He felt conflicted about his own humanity at times, so it didn't bother him much. And she was still so naïve about Earth customs…

Suddenly the idea was there, born and matured and looming over him in an instant. It was another prank and yet it wasn't. It was painfully simple but guaranteed to entangle her. And finally, it was a _bad_ idea. If he'd stopped for one moment to think about it...well, he wouldn't have been Beast Boy.

He cleared his throat and tried to sound more mature. "Well, um, we Earthlings also have a special way of, uh, apologizing." She gave him a radiant look and clasped her hands. "So if that would make you feel better—"

"Oh, yes! The better feelings would commence immediately!"

"Sweet. First, I have to do this." He placed his hands above her hips.

Her usually tan cheeks turned slightly pink. "Oh! Uh, very well…"

"And then you put your hands on my shoulders." She did. "Perfect! Now here's how we say 'I'm sorry'."

He smiled impishly and snapped his fingers twice. Right on cue, a disco ball came down from the ceiling and romantic music filled the training room. It was one of several modifications Cyborg made to Titan Tower in his spare time, and Beast Boy was privy to all of them.

"Now I have to follow the music and walk around the room with you, and I'm not allowed to stop 'till you forgive me." he said. His voice squeaked on the last word, betraying his nerves.

Luckily Star didn't seem to notice. She nodded and followed his instructions. His movements were stiff and awkward at first, and she stepped on his feet a few times.

She looked at him shyly. "This is a very complicated ritual."

"Well, see, not all humans do it this way. Just the ones that care about each other the most." He smirked.

She smiled back.

_Woo! Good one, Beast Boy!_ And it was more than a good line, because he did care. She was stuck in a different world, and instead of freaking out she just smiled and took it all in as much as she could. But that was the thing...she took it all in together. She was as nice to him as the day was long, but in the end she left him feeling like part of the scenery.

He didn't know when that started to bug him, but it did. If just once he could get her to notice him—really _look_ at him. The only person who had earned that attention was…

_Forget about Robin. It's you now, you and her. Don't mess this up._

They were settling into the rhythm now. He moved so smoothly with her that it seemed almost natural. When the song's tempo picked up they gamely followed. Their boots traced meandering circles on the gym mats.

Starfire gasped and looked at him again. "Friend Beast Boy, I just remembered something! This Earth apology seems quite similar to that night of the pounding music and blinding lights."

_Yuh-oh. _ His heart stopped for a moment. Then it started pounding again like a jackrabbit's. Having been a jackrabbit that day, he could say so with authority.

"But this is very enjoyable," she continued, resting her chin on his shoulder. "So it _must_ be different."

Could she really be that innocent? And what if she wasn't?

The song launched into its first chorus, slowing them down again. He closed his eyes and breathed in. She smelled of slightly burnt flowers-like her usual scent, but sweeter and more potent. _Pheromones? _His hands were on her hips now, fingertips trailing along the skin just above her belt. She sighed in contentment. "Few Tamaranian ceremonies are of this kind."

"Welcome to Earth," he chuckled weakly.

"I feel very welcome, friend Beast Boy."

She pulled him closer. He could feel her every breath and movement through his suit. And she had to feel him too, how could she not notice _that_, how the hell did it go this far, why wasn't he stopping and what would you-know-who think about this…

Beast Boy's conscience screamed all these questions and more, before dying with one final whimper: shouldn't he at least give her an out? _No, _his body screamed, but he held firm for one more second. "Star…have you forgiven me yet?"

She whispered in one of his pointed ears. "N-not quite…"

From there he was gone. Not even beating his friends' high-scores gave him a rush like that. They were no longer dancing to music; they were becoming the music. He felt her hands in his hair and saw the skirt riding up her slender legs. _Holy crap, is this really happening? _They hadn't been this close together since he fell on her during a battle. Maybe that was where this really started for him. Or maybe it was—

The _eyes_. Glowing just like they did in the corridor, as the song ended and she looked straight at him. Something was coming. It wasn't an oil-filled balloon, but it certainly was a twist of fate.

He reached up and kissed her. She melted like candy in his mouth, stumbling into the wall and pulling him with her. The charade was abandoned; she knew what this was, and let herself fall into it headfirst.

Beast Boy's head swam as the kiss deepened, oblivious to the green glow that spread around them. Starfire's arms were squeezing him like an electric vise, so tightly it hurt, but he wasn't complaining. As she began to lose control of her powers, he was more in command of his than ever. His nerve endings began to crackle as a plethora of animal instincts rose to the surface with their own advice. He didn't know how aliens' bodies worked, but he wanted to find out.

He raised her left leg and began to stroke behind her knee. There was nothing, nothing and then he reached the back of her ankle. "Oh! Oh, _X'Hal_..." she cried, nearly cracking her head on the wall as she tossed it back. He didn't know any of the words she started whispering after that, but they were music to his ears. Whether this was-pent-up stress, mutual deception or the spark of a true romance that blazed hotter by the second, he was doing it right. He growled into her ear, actually growled as he felt her breasts pressing into him, and if they didn't stop this right now a dumb joke might be the least of their worries.

Beast Boy pushed her harder into the wall and was diving back into her mouth when she suddenly cut her tongue on one of his fangs. Star cried out and drew back, breaking the spell just long enough to return them both to their senses. The lights and music switched off a second later, plunging them back into shadow.

They looked at each other for a long moment, struggling to catch their breath and process what had just happened. They were young and this was dangerous and too much at once. But it wasn't enough, either...

"Beast Boy," she said slowly as she smoothed down her hair. The 'friend' was gone. "Are you certain that you did not mistake this for a different ritual?"

"I dunno, Star," he winked at her. "It sure felt right to me."

She inspected the floor, her cheeks still burning. Finally she looked up at him—a different look, bewildered and impressed and fascinated. In that moment, he could have conquered Earth and Tamaran together.

"So, uh...do you forgive me?"

"Yes. I think that you are sorry enough." The party was over, but her eyes were still dancing. "...This time."

Teen

Titans

**The End **(or in Tamaranian, **Zorkit**)


End file.
